COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONLike a mad scientist Spike starts with Big Hoppy Monster, Terrapinís Imperial Red Ale, and its tantalizing hop aroma and enormous malt backbone. As if that if that wasnít enough flavor for one beer, Spike ages it w/ French oak spirals for two months. The touch of toasted vanilla from the oak combines with the mammoth hop aroma and rich maltyness of the beer to create a complex flavor experience thatís electrifying! -2012 - 9.1%
2013 - 10.6%

Pours a muddy red color with little head which dissipates quickly. Aroma is very warm, chocolate and roasty malt tones, some caramel, with a lot of oak on the finish. Taste is very smooth, begins with a bright citrus hoppy note followed by a wonderful dark roast, maybe a bit of smoke, malt with the oak once again present. Overall a fantastic beer, easy to drink, and big on flavor without feeling the surprising 10.6% ABV on our bottle, although here it is listed at 9.1%

This beer pours a brown copper color with a small off white head that doesnít linger long. Smells of oaks and a bit of hoppyness towards the end. Taste is first fairly sweet vanilla and oak, followed by a balance of hop bitterness, piny. Nice beer alcohol is very well hidden

Sampled on draft at 3R6P this beer poured a plum-brown color with a medium sized foamy tan head that lingered and left decent lacing. The aroma was toffee, pine, resin and leather. The flavor was bitter with a sour caramel note, toffee, wood, smoke, fig, pine, resin, leather and noted alcohol. Long finish of toffee, caramel, fig, resin, leather and booze. Moderately full bodied. Pretty tasty.

Iím starting to think that oak aging beers does something to the hops. I canít think of one that ever had much in the way of hop aroma. It could be the aging fades the more volatile hop aromatics, but Iím not really sure most oaked beers spend much more time between brewing and my mouth despite any wood aging.
That being said, the wood is very present and in a good way. Vanilla, toasted wood. Almost pineapple in the finish.

This brew is a dark brownish-amber color with a medium thick light beige head that diminishes gradually. Partial rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of piney hops, oak and malt. Full-bodied with flavors of resiny hops, earthy malt and oak. The finish is oaky with a lingering piney hops aftertaste. Solid beer all around.

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